WEF 2022: Pfizer commits medicines, vaccines to 45 lower-income countries

World Economic Forum (WEF) 2022: The initiative by Pfizer was launched at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos 2022

Pfizer is to offer all its patent-protected medicines and vaccines, including the Covid-19 vaccine, available in the US and European Union on a not-for-profit basis to 1.2 billion people in 45 lower-income countries.

The groundbreaking initiative was launched on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos 2022, with the aim to greatly reduce the health inequities that exist between many lower-income countries and the rest of the world.

Pfizer has committed to provide 23 medicines and vaccines that treat infectious diseases, certain cancers and rare and inflammatory diseases. It also plans to add future medicines and vaccines on a not-for-profit basis.

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“As we learned in the global Covid-19 vaccine rollout, supply is only the first step to helping patients. We will work closely with global health leaders to make improvements in diagnosis, education, infrastructure, storage and more. Only when all the obstacles are overcome can we end healthcare inequities and deliver for all patients,” said Pfizer Chairman Albert Bourla.

Pfizer will work with healthcare officials in Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda to identify early insights and opportunities to ensure all medicines and vaccines can reach those in need. Learnings from these five countries will be applied to support a rollout to 40 more countries.

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"The great thing about this accord is that it helps low-income countries without violating their dignity and agency as people, for it is a true partnership that involves both Pfizer and countries like Malawi sharing the burden of costs and tasks in the production and delivery of supplies that will save millions of lives," said Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera.

The collaboration seeks to identify quick and efficient regulatory pathways and procurement processes to reduce the longer amount of time it can take to make new medicines and vaccines available in these countries.

The initiative, Accord for a Healthier World, with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is advancing work on the development of vaccine candidates for the prevention of Group B Streptococcus, a leading cause of stillbirth and newborn mortality in low-income countries.

“Everyone, no matter where they live, should have the same access to innovative, life-saving drugs and vaccines,” said Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “[The accord] could help millions more people in low-income countries get the tools they need to live a healthy life. Pfizer is setting an example for other companies to follow.”